Salvation: The Beginning
by Treble252
Summary: In one world, he's the forgotten one. In another world, he very well could be the key to survival. In both worlds, he will be the greatest hero that never lived. Chapter 3 is up!
1. Chapter 1: The Tale Begins

No one stood by Thomas. They thought he was weird. They thought he was weak in a world ruled by the strong. Maybe they were right. But history will mark him as the greatest hero that never lived...

(Note-This is a mixture fan fic, between Magic and D&D. So, it's kind of a WOTC fan fic. )

**Earth, 2005**

The crisp November air filled Samantha's morning with the usual childhood nostalgia. She loved the fall, more importantly the snow. The snow was all cleansing, after all. The snow helped her forget the father that drank instead of worked and the mother that died when she was little. The snow helped her come back from drugs and from bad lovers. The snow helped her remember the last shreds of her humanity that she held so very close to her heart.

This morning was the first morning in some time that she had been sober enough to go to school. She wasn't thrilled about going. It did nothing for her. She was too smart for the remedial classes, but not quite up to speed with the classes for her age. Samantha was a lost soul among an ocean of lost souls.

The leaves and frozen slush crunched under her shoes as she mad her way up the stairs into the high school, the sounds of stereos blasting either heavy metal and hardcore rap following her. Both felt like a large dose of "ouch" this early in the morning and right after a rather large party like the one at Travis' house last night. As the door opened, the old school bell rang. The tinges of pain in her head because beacons of agony in her post-inebriated state.

Samantha made her way to the bathroom for a quick smoke, and then made her way to the cafeteria for the state's free breakfast for the underprivileged. With her precious dry muffin and half frozen orange juice, she sat against the wall. She was alone and forgotten by the people that once called her dear friend. No one even gave her that pity stare from across the room anymore.

Not more than two painfully raisin filled bites into her breakfast, a new kid walked up to her. He was black hair that was messy (but thankfully not greasy), clothes that weren't all that new, and a brown backpack that was still black in parts. He smiled.

"Could I sit with you, fair lady?"

Samantha studied the boy for a long time. It broke Thomas' heart when the loneliest of lonely souls laughed at him and walked away.

**Dainaria, Final day of the 99th year of the Silver Dragon**

The diviner Kao looked out over the war ravaged lands. From his high tower, he could see all the way to the boarder of the smallest of the 5 great kingdoms, Dainaria. Dainaria once was the entire continent, holding the powers of the 4 great kingdoms as well as the countless minor factions that tried their hardest to either survive, conquer, or just stay the hells out of the way.

Kao was the finest diviner in any kingdom, which put a modest meal on his table. He had never been one for grandeur, just a skilled mage that happened to hit on the right woman at the bar one night. That woman was the princess and it was her pleading with the king that next morning that saved him from the suffering of his fellow commoners (It was also her pleading that kept the king from killing him for what he was caught doing with the princess the night before…).

Today marked the beginning of a new century. The turn of the century marked large changes in the sands of time, making them easier to gather quality readings and decipher them with little difficulty. Add Kao's supreme divinatory skill and he could most likely write an accurate book of prophesies for the coming century.

The diviner held his youthful eagerness in check as he prepared his spells and talismans for the rituals he would spend the day performing. The first he prepared was a simple top. He wrapped the string around the top's head and balanced it carefully in the center of a very particular table top. The table had countless runes and pictures, each with a specific meaning. This ritual was simpler than the other divinations he had prepared, but this would give him the questions those more complicated rituals required. On top of that, it was rather fun to play with the top.

Kao focused his energies into the top and felt the top respond. He pulled the string and top spun, glowing a faint blue. The top glided over the table, looking for the right spot to spin. For a few minutes, it darted to and fro, never losing its momentum. Suddenly, it froze over an icon. The aura turned bright blue, showing it had found its place.

Then, something unexpected happened. As Kao reached for the top, the aura changed to from blue to bright red. The top spun backwards, faster, waves of heat flowing off of it. Cracks began to appear and the top began to hum as it went faster and faster. At the crescendo of its unusual behavior, it exploded with a force large enough to send Kao and everything near the table go flying.

Once the young diviner regained his wits, he slowly approached the table. The blast had covered the table with black soot, except in one small spot where the top had been spinning. It had also damaged most of the runes. Working quickly, he set to work preparing new spells. He had to find what rune set off the top like that.

**Earth, December 15th, 2005, 5:30 PM**

Thomas made his way home after another long, horrible day of high school. Once again, he had been made fun of for his every step. A part of him had gotten over that a long time ago and accepted the fact that he was going to be alone until college at least. But, another part was angry. Another part was so very angry; at himself, the world, everything around him for the way things were. A part of him hated everything that lived.

The two halves fought as Thomas unlocked the door to his apartment and pushed it open. He lived with his mom. His dad and younger sisters lived across the country in California. Thomas had little love for his father, but he really did care about his sisters. He would have crossed heaven and hell to save them.

Tonight, his mom was working late again. This meant another pizza night. He was the only kid he knew that was honestly sick of pizza. It's not that Thomas didn't understand her working all the time. It was that he had honestly begun to forget what she was like. It had been at least a week before Thomas had seen her for more than 5 minutes.

Thomas threw his backpack on the couch and turned on the TV. He didn't really watch it. All that was on was about the wars and how peace talks were going well. He pulled out a large old shoebox and set up a chair at the kitchen table. The box fell apart as he set it down, cards spilling out over the table.

"Damn," he muttered, scooping the cards back into the box.

He took the lid off and began to sort through them. Tonight, Thomas was looking for a new idea for a new story. The one thing that kept his fragile sanity in tact was writing. In his stories and mind, he was the best wizard ever. In fact, he had spent a lot of hard earned money on all sorts of Dungeons and Dragons books to learn more about wizards and magic. One day, he would find the way to make it all real.

The telephone next to him rang. With a sigh, he puts the cards down and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" he said.

"Corner of Pace and 5th, 20 minutes," the voice said hurriedly. What surprised Thomas more was the fact the voice was a woman's. "Bring all the cards your can. Oh, and those books of yours. 20 minutes."

Click.

Thomas stared at the phone for a few seconds. With a shrug, he hung the phone up. He laughed and sat back down with his cards. People had played this joke before. They pretended to be his friend then took turns beating the crap out of him. Most days, he might've gone down to play. But, tonight, he decided against it. He still hurt from the last time they did this.

The phone rang again. A little more agitated, he picked up the phone, the cards still in his hand.

"Hello?" he said, this time a little more forcefully.

"Thomas, this isn't a joke."

Thomas stopped breathing. It was the same voice as before.

"Get to the corner of Pace and 5th. You only have 19 minutes now and you have a lot of luggage. Now, march. Or, I'll come get you. And that will hurt."

Click.

This time, Thomas took a second to think. Could this be real? Could she really be asking for him for a reason?

Thomas packed all of his cards into his backpack and two sacks. In another sack, he packed up all of his books. After popping a few aspirin, he set out. The destination wasn't far off. He couldn't understand what the big hurry was.

In 10 minutes, he was on the corner. In the back of his mind, he could see how ridiculous he must've looked. A 17 year old kid holding three bags and a backpack. Honestly, he felt like kicking his own ass.

As if someone had read his mind, three thugs walked out of the store across the street. They grinned and pointed at the boy. Thomas sighed. It was a joke. Now, he got to pay.

The thugs walked over and surrounded him, circling like vultures.

"Hey, boy," the small one said, "What are you doing out so late? Don't ya know the streets are dangerous?"

"Yeah," another said, "There's all kindsa thugs and dangerous folk. Why, you never know when someone's gonna mugs ya."

"Yeah," the big one said in a tone that showed he might not have been the mental giant of the bunch.

"Well, boys," the small one started again, pounding his fist into his palm, "What's say we teach the boy a lesson?"

The other two nodded in agreement and flashed horrible grins.

"Stop," a voice commanded. A woman's voice.

The three would-be muggers turned and found a young woman wearing a white cloak. Behind her stood a man in a blue cloak, the hood up over his head. The thugs laughed.

"What the hell?" the small one said, "It ain't Halloween, bitch. Now, run along or we'll get y'all next."

"But we outnumber you," she said. With a grin, she added, "That means there's more of us than of you."

The small thug reached behind and pulled out a pistol. He grinned.

"This here's a cop's gun," he gloated, "He thought he was hot stuff too, but we showed him. Now, run along or I shoot."

The woman simply smiled. She leaned back against the wall, not looking concerned. It seemed that only Thomas noted a piece of paper fall from inside her cloak. The thug just shook his head.

"I tried," he said. Then, he pulled the trigger. Or, more accurately, he tried to pull the trigger. The gun melted into a burst of white light. The small thug staggered back, scared.

"L-Let's go!" he cried and the three ran off. Thomas just stared. The woman very carefully bent down, picked up the paper, and replaced it in her robe.

"A simple Disenchant and they take off to the winds," she said to her companions, "I wish that the monsters back home were so impressed."

The man chuckled. Then, the woman returned her attention to Thomas. He nodded.

"It was you that called, wasn't it?" he said, his voice firmer than he thought it would be.

"Yes," she replied softly, "Forgive my pleading for hurry, my diviner saw you would take longer than you did.

The man in a blue cloak bowed low.

"My apologies, Mistress Aerna," the man said, "It seems my powers are weakened on this plane."

Thomas blinked. _Powers? Plane? Could it really be…?_

_Yes, Master Thomas_, a voice echoed in his head. He looked around franticly for the source of the voice. The man in the blue cloak cleared his voice.

"Once again, I apologize, Master Thomas," he said, "I let my mind drift into yours a bit."

The woman in the white cloak giggled.

"It seems you can't do anything right today, Kao," she muttered, grinning. This drew a chuckle and a bow from the man.

"Now, onto business," Aerna began, "Thomas, I called you here because, well, we need your help. We are part of six mages that make up the Royal Wizards Guild of Dainaria. Kao is the king's diviner, finder of truth and danger."

"I'm also handy for finding ways to not get killed in missions," the man interrupted, drawing no attention from the others.

"That too," Aerna continued, "I am Aerna, the king's enchanter and a summoner of no small skill."

She bowed low, then continued.

"Kao recently divined the future of our kingdom at the beginning of the year, as he has for 4 years now. It is custom to fly the rune of destiny with our flag each year. So far, every kingdom has found the same rune on their tables, the Rune of Death."

"Needless to say, no one's saying 'Happy New Year' back home," Kao jested.

"I see," Thomas said, "So, why do you need me?"

"Well, that's the thing. I'm not sure. Kao found a prophecy involving a boy about your age from your time. We're not sure, but, we'd sure like to find out if you're the boy."

"How do you do that?" Thomas asked.

"I can cast a regimen of divination spells on you to find out whether you're our boy or not," Kao said, cutting Aerna off.

"So, will you come with us, Thomas?" Aerna asked, smiling.

Thomas thought for a second. After a moment, he shook his head.

"I need to stay and help my mom," he said, his voice devoid of the grief that he felt in his heart. Aerna nodded.

"You'd only be gone a few days," Kao said, "After all, she works all the time. I could cast a minor illusion that would give her the appearance you were asleep at night, then gone in the daylight."

Thomas frowned. He didn't like that idea very much. He wanted to stay and take care of his mother, not come close to a dream just to lose it. After all, who would pick him for a prophecy that could save a world? But, something tingled in his brain. Something slowly brought his mind to like the idea. With a big smile, he nodded.

"Okay, sounds like a plan!" he exclaimed. Kao smiled and nodded.

"Very good," he said, "The illusion has been cast. I figured you'd say yes in the end."

"Now, come with us," Aerna said. Thomas walked ahead of the two wizards.

_You messed with the boy's head, didn't you?_ Aerna asked in her thoughts.

_Of course_, Kao returned, _The fool was actually going to say no._

_Do you think he's the one we're looking for?_

_I'm not sure, Aerna. He's stronger than he thinks he is. Even if he's not, he could be a very good wizard with some training. And the Gods know we could use another good wizard._

The three walked on until they came to an underpass. Kao took out a large book from his cloak (it seems that these things could hold anything) and cast a spell on the wall. He replaced the book and held his arms out.

"Portal to Dainaria," he said, "One at a time, no pushing, and don't touch anything. Oh, and don't walk off the path. It gets kind of…unpleasant when you do that."

Thomas took a gulp then walked into the portal, Aerna following. Kao took a look around. They would have the boy back in a few days, no problem. Kao entered the portal and let it fall closed behind him.

**December 16th, 2005, 4:30AM**

The peace talks in Washington had broken down. No one in the ghetto saw them coming. No one had told them that the other side was winning the overseas wars. No one had told them that they had landed troops on US soil. No one had told them this was going to happen.

At 4:30 AM, every warring country on the planet sent their nuclear missiles at one another. At 4:30 AM, the world Thomas knew ended.


	2. Chapter 2: Dainaria

**Dainaira, 1st Day of the Age of the Gold Dragon**

In a blaze of blue energy, Thomas, Aerna, and Kao walked out of the portal into the middle of a town square just before sunrise. The three of them looked around.

"Were you not casting a portal to the castle, Kao?" Aerna asked, "And during the day?"

"Yes to both, Mistress Aerna," Kao replied, pulling his hood down to have a better view of the area around him. _Why did this spell fail?_ he thought to himself.

While the two wizards worried, Thomas was in awe. The town around him was just like the towns he dreamed about during his lunches and off periods. The lane in front of him was lined with taverns, signs of all kinds hanging in front of them. Some had drunks out front, sleeping off the night's effects; others had lights and shadows in the windows of people in joyous celebration. Another lane was filled with shops and restaurants from all around the magical world. Signs with all kinds of goods, from books to farm supplies, hung at odd angles. All around Thomas was a new and exciting world.

Aerna wrapping a pale colored cloak around him stole Thomas from his reverie.

"Cover yourself, Thomas," the young woman said, "It's cold this night."

Thomas knew she was lying. It was a nice night. Something in her voice also betrayed her intentions. Little did he know, before he pulled the hood down around his face, two sets of red eyes were watching them from the shadows.

The three made their way down the row of shops to the city gates with no trouble. Kao pulled his hood back and stepped up in front to address the guards.

"Who goes there at this early hour?" the guard asked.

"I am Kao, Chief Diviner of the King and Royal Mage of blue mana," the wizard said, bowing low.

"I am humbled to receive you, Lord Kao," the guard said, bowing in turn, "I'd be more than happy to let you pass if you can produce your identification, of course."

Kao smiled and nodded, reaching into his cloak. He felt around then froze. The wizard patted his chest up and down, a frantic look on his face.

"Oh no," he muttered, "It's in the tower."

The guard shook his head.

"No identification, no passing," the guard said.

Kao looked at Aerna, a defeated look on his face. She sighed.

"He is Kao, and I am Aerna, Royal Mage of white mana," she declared, producing a white medallion from her cloak. Even though it was white, it shined in the torchlight, a sun symbol crowned with a symbol that Thomas guessed to be the royal seal. The guard inspected it carefully then nodded and bowed.

"It is an honor to receive you, Lady Aerna," the guard said.

Within five minutes, the three travelers were on the road to the castle. Aerna giggled softly.

"Today does not seem to be your day, Kao," she softly teased, "Be careful in your navigation, else we find ourselves in the ocean."

Kao stayed silent. He was too deep in his thoughts about his recent string of failures to hear Aerna's banter. Kao's silence shocked her. Even though she had an idea why, it was still unlike him to remain silent. Perhaps the problem was bigger than she thought. Thomas, however, was thinking about something else entirely. He was still waiting for the dream to end, for all this to go away. He also wondered what all the cards and books were for.

The three walked on, thinking about their problems in silence. From the path ahead, there was a very audible snap. Aerna and Kao surrounded Treble, Kao taking the front.

"Do you have any spells that could work at night?" Kao whispered.

"Not many," she said, "A few protection charms, but nothing offensive."

Kao cursed as he took out a rather large spell book. He opened it and inside was pages unlike anything Thomas had ever seen. It had pouches, sleeves, texts beyond galore. It was the ultimate spell book. Aerna took one out that was just as impressive. She flipped through and stopped on one page. She took out a piece of paper and a bag before setting the book down. Quickly, she made a circle around the three of them with the powder and held the paper, focusing on it.

Meanwhile, Kao took out a piece of metal and a piece of paper like the one Aerna was focusing on. Kao focused on the paper and the metal. Then, he threw the metal into the air.

"Golem of the Winds!" he bellowed, "I summon thee!"

Kao thrust the card into the air. The card was surrounded by blue light and then launched the light at the metal. The energy struck the metal, forming around it. The metal then twisted and turned into a humanoid machine. Then, the metal starts to flow, like water, forming into twin scythes on its arms to match wings that grew from its back. Thomas looked at the golem hard. Something was familiar about it. Where had he seen that golem before?

"Golem, defensive stance!" Kao ordered. The golem followed the order.

Then, two figures came out of the shadows. The shorter of the two uttered a word and flames leapt from his fingers.

"Kao, what's the deal?" the shorter said, "If this is about the 5 pieces I owe ya, we can talk it over!"

Kao laughed as he stepped towards the two.  
"My apologies, San," the wizard whispered, shaking their hands, "I am fearful of the night for it holds dangers to our guest."

"Oh, yeah, the kid," the shorter man said.

"Hey, I'm seventeen!" Thomas exclaimed, "Besides, I'm taller than you!"

The shorter man came over and grabbed Thomas by the collar of his shirt.

"Didn't your momma tell you to not play with red mages?" he whispered. At this range, Thomas noticed the man's cloak was red.

"You're the red mage of the Royal Wizards aren't you?" Thomas asked.

"Well, at least the kid's quicker than he looks," the red wizard grumbled.

Their banter was cut short, however, by a rather loud roar from a rather large demon that had appeared behind them.

The four wizards took action. The golem turned and crossed its arms in front of Aerna and Thomas, the two new wizards took their stand next to Kao, and Aerna dropped a black bead into her powder circle.

"Circle of Life! Shield us from the powers of the black!" she cried.

The powder circle turned black from the spot the bead hit before turning back to white. The demon grinned, staring down the golem. Behind them, Thomas could see two sets of red eyes staring the wizards down. The glare from the fire revealed their black armor, but their skin showed no color.

"Reiver Demon!" one of them, a woman, called out, "Leave none alive!"

The demon jumped into the air, its wings spread, teeth bared as it charged at the group. The golem stood strong as the demon grabbed it and tried to rip its arms off. But, the circle flared bright, sending the demon flying backwards.

"The Circle of Life won't let your demon hurt us!" Aerna called, "We are the Royal Wizards of Dainaria! And you will not defeat us!"

"Royal Wizards, huh?" the woman called, "And you think a trash can and a doodle on the ground will stop us? Shar'dra, show them their folly."

The other person nodded then began chanting. A blue aura surrounded her, stealing Kao's breath.

"Oh no," he whispered, "Another blue mage."

"Counter her spell, Kao!" Thomas pressed, "Quickly!"

"I can't," Kao replied, "I'm a diviner, not a countermage. I found the arts of divination to be more fruitful."

"That and he couldn't counter a spell to save his soul," Aerna added.

"You're a blue mage that can't counter spells?" Thomas asked.

"I have other skills!" Kao yelled, wiping the sweat from his brow, "Golem, block the spell!"

The golem flew at the other blue mage as the spell fired. The golem crossed his arms to block when the spell split around him. The golem looked back and watched the spell enter the circle. The jewel flew up and shuddered, then turned from black to white.

"With my spell, I take away your protection from the black mana and turn it to white!" the wizard cried.

Aerna cursed and began to flip through her spell book. The mage that had been silent through all this stepped forward. His cloak was green.

"I have a solution," he said, his voice calm and steady, "San. Cover me as I cast."

The pulled out a spell book and flipped to a page. He took out a piece of paper and a scale. He read a passage from the book then turned to the east. He concentrated on the scale then threw it into the east. Afterwards, the mage sat and began to chant.

"Demon, kill that wizards before his spell activates!" the black wizard yelled.

The demon lunged at the green mage.

"Kao, send in the golem!" San ordered as he began to cast.

"Right. Golem of the Winds, strike!" Kao ordered

The golem turned and sliced at the demon, cutting its side. Its summoner clutched her side, feeling the demon's pain as her own. The demon turned to counter only to find a ray of fire in its path. Confused, the demon fell back, stalking the golem.

_A strike fight_, Thomas though, _But how effective can it really be?_

The golem flew threw the fire, its flowing metal body unharmed, and slashed the demon again. This time, the demon caught one of the golem's wings and ripped it before a column of fire surrounded the demon. Kao screamed loudly into the night, falling to one knee.

"Aerna, do you have to mana for an artifice healing spell?" Kao asked through gritted teeth.

"Barely, but it should be enough," she replied. The golem landed next to her as she laid her hands on the golem's wing. Her hands glowed white and the slash marks began to fade. Suddenly, a black aura surrounded her hands, binding them. Next, another black aura caused the wound on the golem's wing to increase instead of decrease. Kao's back began to bleed from the same spot as the golem's wing fell off.

"Nice try," the black mage called, "Now, to finish you off. Demon, break free!"

With a howl, the demon leapt out of the fire column, a bit singed but very much alive.

"Finish the golem!" its master cried.

The demon flew into the air where the golem could no longer follow then broke into a dive, claws extended. However, just as it began to fall, the sun peaked over the horizon. Instead of its usual bright yellow, it shone green. The green mage began to levitate, his chanting growing louder.

"No! Demon, kill the green wizard!" the black mage screamed, shielding her eyes from the sun's glow, "Kill it! Kill it!"

The demon, in its mid-air dive, heard its master, but found changing direction difficult. The golem sidestepped, slashing the demon further. It crashed into the ground in a heap then rolled and jumped up, flying at the green mage.

The green mage was unconcerned. His whole body vibrated green mana, his cloak thrown back by a gust of wind.

"Arise, my sleeping friend!" he cried to the winds, "Come forth from your ancient slumber!"

The sun emitted a ray of green energy that traveled toward the green wizard. As it got closer, it began to twist like a snake. Just as demon claws came up at the wizard to strike, another set of claws came down to block.

The energy head butted the demon, sending it flying to the earth. Slowly, the energy faded. Where green mana once stood now held a great green dragon, long and flowing, wrapped around its master's aura. Its antlers were pressed against its head, teeth bared at the demon. The green mage smiled.

"Welcome to life Jugan, Dragon of the Rising Star."

(Author's Note- My thanks to those who posted reviews. I have taken your suggestions to heart and I do promise to give you what you want to see. Thanks for the honest feedback. Any more you want to give, please do. I never mind help. Once again, thank you. –Treble)


	3. Chapter 3: The Destiny Realized

"Welcome to life Jugan, Dragon of the Morning Star!" the green mage cried as the dragon roared out, the rising sun behind them making quite the scene.

"Now things get interesting," Aerna said, grinning as the light revealed their opponents. Thomas could only gasp. Not 50 feet away stood two drow elves, the most evil race Thomas knew off.

Aerna flipped through her book and took out another piece of paper.

"Kao, I have an idea!" she called.

The blue mage nodded and the golem kneeled in front of the white mage. She placed the card between her hand and the creature and began to whisper words of power. The golem glowed with a soft white aura as Aerna moved back.

"Go get 'em, Kao," Thomas said, excited to see the new spell.

With a grin, Kao looked up at the green mage.

"Ready, Lian?" he called up.

The green mage nodded. With a gesture from his master, Jugan moved down and surrounded the golem.

"Jugan, defend Kao's creature!" Lian ordered with his soft voice.

Jugan roared again as he and the golem charged. The demon bared its teeth and slashed at the weakened golem. Just before the attack hit, Jugan blocked the demon's claws. The golem hopped over and attacked the demon, slashing it down the right arm. The demon screamed as its arm when limp. It tried to strike at the golem, but Jugan's snake-like body twisted again and blocked the golem. He returned with a blast of hot air, sending the demon flying in a heap. With a lot of effort, the demon got up, growling in frustration.

"This has gone far enough!" the black mage shouted, also struggling to get to her feet. She spoke a few quick words then pointed at Jugan, her hand surrounded in black mana.

"With my black heart, I steal your strength, Jugan!" she cried, the black aura extending off her hand. The aura surrounded Jugan, freezing him in place. The dragon cried, then fell down, twitching and coughing before dying.

"Waste not, want not," she said, grinning, "I give the energy I've stolen to Reiver Demon!"

The demon's wounds glowed with black and green energy as they sealed. The demon howled and grinned, all the damage undone. The golem charged and got a lucky punch with its pincer arm in the demon's chest. But the demon just grinned as it slashed the golem's stomach three times, and then kicked it away. It landed face down in a heap next to the dead Jugan. Kao screamed and flew backwards, mimicking the golem's movements.

"Mighty wizards of Dainaria," the black mage called, "I, Lyr'aia, demand your spells for my employer as payment for your defeat!"

San and Lian began to look through their spell books rather quickly, looking for a spell to cast.

"That won't be necessary," Aerna said, smiling, "Will it, Kao?"

The blue mage pulled himself to his feet, clutching his stomach.

"No, it won't," he said, "Now, golem, stand."

Without missing a beat, the golem rose. Lyr'aia gasped.

"How!" she cried, "The demon scored direct hits! Surely it must be dead!"

"My spell," Aerna said.

It was then that Lyr'aia could see the mark of white mana glowing on the golem.

"My Spell of Faith's Test let the golem defend three attacks then take that damage and turn it into offensive power!"

The golem held up its scythe hands to reveal spikes sprouting from their hands that looked very similar to the demon's claws.

"Don't forget about Jugan," Lian said, landing without a sound.

"What do you mean?" the drow asked with a streak of fear on her face.

"Jugan is only a spirit," he said calmly, "His body is mana, hence the long ritual to summon him. Observe."

The green mage touched the dragon's corpse and focused. The body glowed green and disappeared. In the dragon's place was a glowing ball of energy.

"Jugan cannot be completely killed. He is life incarnate. That life cannot be simply willed away. His strength lives on, even after the vessel that carried it has perished. And now, I grant that strength to Kao's golem."

The ball of light rose up and combined with the golem. The golem grew antlers like that of Jugan, as well as regenerated its missing wings. The metallic skin grew scales and the claws became more distinct. Where a battered creature once stood, there was a powerful beast, combined with the strength of the mages.

"Golem, destroy the demon!" Kao ordered.

The golem flew at the demon quickly, purring as it went. The blue mage began to cast.

"Golem!" she called, blue mana flowing from her hands, "Answer my call as my servant!"

The golem fell, twitching as the spell took effect. Kao shook his head.

"Here's a little tidbit for you two," he began, taking a wand from his sleeve, "It might seem wrong, but sometimes, divining the future means controlling it. Aura of Magical Release!"

Kao fired a bolt of blue energy as the golem. The energy formed into a bubble that the drow's spell couldn't penetrate.

"The fate of my golem is written," he said with a grin, "He cannot be the target of a wizard's spell now, even my own. Golem, finish this!"

The golem tackled the demon back then flew around and kicked it from behind. The demon clawed the ground, stabilizing itself. It tried to slash the golem, but the golem was faster, slashing both its arms to ribbons then slashing the demon's neck, finally ending it. The black mage fell over, blood running from her neck. The blue mage looked at her fallen companion, then at the golem.

"This isn't over!" the blue mage screamed, disappearing into a portal behind her.

The demon faded into non-existence as the golem turned to its master.

"Good job," Kao said, smiling. The golem nodded.

Thomas studied the golem hard. He could've sworn he saw that monster somewhere. But where?

Kao and San walked over to the drow mage. She was mortally wounded, but still alive. Kao kneeled next to her.

"Why were you sent here, drow?" Kao asked, his voice low.

"That is of no concern to you, Dainarian," she spat, blood running out of her mouth, "My employer is powerful. He will have you, wizard. He will use your very power against you."

The drow choked and died. Kao ran his hand over the drow's eyes and closed them. He then reached into the dead drow's robes, removed her spellbook and other talismans of power, and placed them in his robes. The two wizards rejoined the group. San pulled his hood back. Thomas' eyes widened. San was a goblin.

"Even though the sun's up, it's still pretty risky out here," San said, "Let's be getting back to the castle. It's not far."

San looked at the faces of the wizards then Thomas. He looked flustered.

"What's your problem, boy?" he asked, sounding offended.

"Nothing," Thomas said, his face losing the shocked look, "I just didn't expect you to be a goblin."

San began to mutter something that sounded very much like a spell but stopped when Kao placed a hand on his shoulder. The wizards covered themselves once more then began walking, Thomas still being held by Aerna. The last hour of their trip was uneventful, except for Thomas. He couldn't get over what he had just seen. They were wizards, real wizards. What did this mean for him? What would this prophecy entail he do? And where had Thomas seen that golem? When the time came, Thomas would settle these questions. Until then, he would let the beauty of the landscape take his mind to a less troubled place.

**Necaria, First Day of the age of the Gold Dragon **

Necaria was the polar opposite of Dainaria. While Dainaria was beautiful and full of life, Necaria was dark and empty. It was the largest of the five great kingdoms, taking every inch of ground with a battle to the death. They wanted the whole world, even lands beyond the five kingdoms.

The king of Necaria was an evil man named Mol'ra. For the 150 years he ruled, no one had ever seen his face. Not even his soldiers, advisors, or drow assassins. In this morning, one of his assassins stood before him. Worse for her, she stood before him with no partner or heads for his trophy room.

"Why did you fail, Shar'dra?" the king said in a low, wispy voice, "And where is Lyr'aia?"

"My king," the drow wizard began, kneeling at the king's throne, "Lyr'aia died in the line of duty."

"I see," Mol'ra replied, still calm, "Why did you survive?"

"I did not summon a monster to fight, my lord."

"I see. Did you use your magic to the best of your ability to save Lyr'aia?"

"Yes, my lord."

"I do not believe you."

The drow looked up, her red eyes filled with fear.

"What? I did all I could, my lord!"

"No, I think that you did enough to make it look like a struggle, to make Lyr'aia feel safe. But, you let your past with her get in the way of your mission and you let her fall."

"My lord, I was upset when Lyr'aia stole my place in the academy. But I would not let personal feeling get in the way of a mission!"

"Yes you would. You're drow."

Without a sound, Shar'dra began to levitate, her face contorted in pain. Black mana surrounded her body and then she withered away, an armored skeleton falling back to the ground.

"Dispose of her," Mol'ra ordered, "And prepare another group to go to Dainaria. I want to know what they're up to."

Two guards gathered the drow's remains then hurried off.

**Castle Dainaria, Mid-day **

Thomas looked out of Kao's tower over the land of Dainaria. It was a strange mixture of beauty and revolt. While there were many beautiful trees and fields, the land still showed signs of many war campaigns. From the look of it, they had been hard on the land.

Kao sat against the opposite wall, working with many devices Thomas had never seen before. Right now, the blue mage was swirling a wooden rod in a green potion. The potion slowly shined with blue mana, as did Kao's eyes. For several minutes, Kao stared into the potion without blinking. In fact, Thomas realized he wasn't even breathing.

Then, the potion turned black and the blue mana dispersed. Kao shook his head, rubbing his forehead. He put the wooden rod back into a drawer, then sat for a moment, lost in thought.

"Something about you does not fit, Thomas," Kao said slowly, his eyes locked on something on his wall, "Your future makes little sense. All I can see is blistering heat then constant cold. As I said, it makes little sense."

"Heat, huh?" Thomas asked, thinking for a moment, "Well, I always did like the summer best."

Kao chuckled. He arose and went to his table, pouring over the black wizard's spellbook. Thomas looked as well and saw pictures of rituals and spells. None of them looked terribly pleasant.

"Why are you looking at those, Kao?" Thomas asked, "Those look like black spells."

"They are," Kao said, "But there are some black spells that are useful for divination as well."

"You can use black mana?" Thomas asked, surprised.

"Some, yes," Kao said, "Don't your wizards in your world use different mana types?"

"There are no wizards in my city," Thomas replied, "The only mentions of wizards are in stories and myths."

"No wizards?" Kao said, looking confused, "But how do you get light and water? How do you communicate with one another?"

Thomas explained his world to Kao. Kao listened excitedly, each bit of information, each shred of knowledge a new adventure.

"Your world sounds fascinating," Kao said, smiling, "Perhaps I could travel with you when you return. These computers you speak of sound fascinating."

As Thomas opened his mouth to speak, there was a knock at the door. A girl, no older than 15, wearing very pale blue robes entered.

"Lord Kao," she said, bowing low.

"Yes, Kaea?" Kao said, waving her closer, "What can I do for you?"

"Mistress Narea has come to your audience, my lord."

"See her in, Kaea."

The woman bowed then left the room.

"Who's she?" Thomas asked.

"My apprentice," Kao replied, "And, also, my niece. She is all the family left to me."

"If you don't mind my asking, what happened to the rest of your family?"

Kao looked down at the table, trying to gather the courage to speak. He was saved, however, by the entry of a figure dressed in black robes. Slowly, the wizard glided across the floor to the table. Thomas felt slight fear in his gut as the black wizard approached, visions of old hags running through his head as she pulled the hood back. However, Thomas was further surprised by a young woman only a few years older than himself. She had long brown hair and green eyes that shone with the light of youth. She smiled.

"Hi," Narea said informally, "I'm Narea. You must be Thomas. It's good to meet you. Aerna was telling me all about the battle with the drow wizards. That must have been rather frightening. I've never seen a drow before, let alone a drow wizard. I'm just glad that it wasn't a whole army. I've read many stories about drow armies. They're very good at war and magic. I also hear that drow literature and music is eerily beautiful…"

Thomas tried to respond, but the black wizard just kept rambling. Kao smiled and gently put a hand on her shoulder, bringing her to silence.

"Sorry," she said quietly, "I have a terrible habit of running at the mouth."

"It's fine," Thomas replied, "I don't get to have many conversations back home."

"There will be time for that later, Thomas," Kao interrupted, "Now, Narea, I have recovered a book of black spells."

"Yay, new spells!" she squealed.

"You may have them," he conceded, "But I do need to use them for now. And for that-"

"You need black mana," Narea finished, nodding slowly. She reached into her robe and took out a small egg-shaped artifact. It shone black, beautiful and eerie at the same time.

"What's that?" Thomas asked.

"It's a mana battery," Narea explained, "It holds mana of a certain color. We wizards use them to power our spells."

"But what about using the land for energy?"

"The mana in the land is tainted," Kao said, "Years of war and use has long since exhausted the mana sources. Only through rigorous rituals and spells can the mana be used. Therefore, we charge the batteries with purified mana. The nicer batteries can hold more than one type of mana, but our batteries are a bit outdated."

"Can't you just make better ones?"

"We don't have anyone skilled in artifice in the kingdom. Out artificer met with a terrible fate some time ago."

Thomas nodded. To him, a life as an artificer would be spectacular. He tried hard not to think about it, though. In time, he would return to the ghetto, his mother, and his life of dreaming.

Kao took the black mana battery and held it in his hand. He then put his other hand on Treble.

"This magic is risky, Thomas," Kao said, "It might be painful the things you will see and feel. Can you handle it?"

Thomas nodded quickly. He thought he had felt pain before. As Kao cast the spell, he felt a terrible swell of dread as the room got very dark. He couldn't see Kao or Narea, both of which stood a few feet away. Suddenly, they disappeared all together. In a large blur, he saw everything at once. He saw a firey demon. He saw forests, oceans, mountains, plains, wastelands, everywhere in the world. He saw kings and queens bowing to someone. He saw the way he died. He saw his sisters laying together, crying. Why were they crying? He focused hard on that and turned to the window. For a moment, Thomas saw what was coming.

As quickly as it started, Thomas was back in Dainaria, the screams of his doomed sisters echoing in his head. He fell to the floor, his body wracking with pain. He screamed, a little from the pain of the shock and the pain of seeing his sisters' last moments.

"NO!" Thomas cried, "They can't be..They're not…"

"Thomas," Kao said softly, "Thomas, get up."

"They're not dead," he muttered, clutching his head, "They can't be, they're so young! They're so young, Kao! It's not fair! It's not fair, damnit!"

"Thomas," Kao said more forcefully. He picked Thomas up and Thomas tried to punch him, lost in instinct. Kao turned Thomas around and restrained him. Thomas cried out in frustration, fighting with all his might to hit the blue wizard, to hit something! But finally, his body and soul surrendered, breaking down into hysterical tears. Kao hugged him, like a brother would, trying his best to comfort this boy. He had seen the visions too. The screams of those poor girls were almost too much for him to handle.

Narea put a hand on his shoulder. Despite her cheery manner, she was terrible at making people feel better. She took the battery from Kao and put it back in her robes.

"I'll take my leave, then, Kao," she said, bowing and leaving silently.

**Later in the Night**

Kao continued to work long after he had put Thomas to bed. As he went on, more of the truth became apparent to him. He saw the fate of Thomas' world. As the wizard worked, he began to ask many serious questions. How could Kao send Thomas back there? The most time he would have with his family, in his bed, in his life is about an hour, then likely death. How could he ask this boy to risk everything to save his own world when he knew that sending him back to his world would be sentencing him to death? He also had to ask himself if the visions were true. After all, the blue mage had had a string of bad luck with his magic.

Kao was so deep in thought he didn't notice Aerna enter the room. She crossed and sat next to him, startling him.

"Aerna," he said, nodding, "What brings you to my room at this late hour?"

"Worry for you and our savior," she said, "Narea told me of the spell and what happened to Thomas."

"So, you came to guide me?"

"Yes. But also to hear of these visions. Did you get our answer?"

"Perhaps. He will travel with us. At least, as the fates proceed."

"What do you mean 'as the fates proceed'?"

Kao stood and walked to the window. He looked out at the land under the moonlight, a strange beauty settling in over the land.

"I'm sending him back, Aerna," he said at last.

"What?" Aerna exclaimed, rising, "But surely that means death?"

"I suppose. But doesn't he die no matter what? If he stays, we put him through hell then send him back to die. If we take him back, he still dies. Either way, Thomas dies. It's not fair. He's barely had a chance at life."

Aerna walked over to the blue mage and embraced him.

"You see the similarities, don't you, Kao?" she whispered.

The blue mage nodded slowly.

"He's too much like Raon," the blue mage choked out, tears forming in his eyes, "And he will die the same pointless death."

"So, when do you want to send him back?" Aerna asked.

"As soon as possible," he replied, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Can I have a say?" a voice asked from the door.

The two wizards turned to see Thomas standing there, his hair messy from a hard sleep.

"I want to stay," he said, not waiting for a reply.

"But what of your world?" Kao asked, "Don't you wish to see it?"

"Yes, very much so," Thomas said, "But I can't save it. All I ask is that you let me see it one more time. Then, I'll do whatever you need me to do without fear or question."

Kao looked at Thomas with careful hesitation. The look in Thomas' eye was forceful. It was permanent. He was ready to let go of everything to help complete strangers.

"Alright, Thomas," Kao said at last, "You have a deal."

**Earth, December 16th, 10:30 AM**

Thomas and Kao stood where the Thomas' apartment once was. His mother's corpse was not accounted for, which almost relieved him that he didn't have to face that. In the tatters of his old bed lay the illusion Kao cast, sleeping peacefully, unaffected by the bombs. Kao dismissed it. Thomas gathered a few things that survived the attacks then left with the blue mage to the portal area. Thomas placed a stone Kao had given him on the ground, a commemoration of the people he knew and loved. In a language Kao showed him, he wrote the names of he and his family on it. Thomas said a quick prayer then looked at Kao.

"Kao, can you teach me magic?" he said, "I know it's a lot to ask. But I need to know. Can I be a wizard like you?"

Kao thought for a moment. Then he slowly nodded.

"I will teach you magic, Thomas," he said.

Thomas looked down at the stone.

"Let's go, Kao," Thomas said.

Kao opened the portal and the two went back to Dainaria. Not long after they had left, a teenage girl crawled up against the underpass wall where the portal had been formed. She was bleeding badly from her mouth and many wounds. Her clothes was little more than shreds, not that they were much before anyway. She picked up the stone and held it. It felt cool to the touch, which was almost a relief to the hellish heat around her. Slowly, darkness took her. She thought she was dying. She could feel her body slipping away. But instead, she fell asleep, the stone held against her chest.

As she slept, the runes on the stone began to glow. The stone sparked, humming very quietly. A white aura surrounded the girl from the stone. Her wounds began to seal themselves, her clothes reform. The dirt on her skin and in her hair faded. Soon, she looked as though she was as foreign to the world around her as the stone. The aura faded and stone went dormant, the runes still glowing slightly.

(Author's Note-I'm sorry about the time it took to get this out to you guys. Work + writer's block long time. Anyway, I do appalogize. Also, the question was asked about the creatures and the battles. That will be explained next chapter. Hopefully, that next chapter will be out in the next two weeks. Thank you for the reviews to all who left one. Please continue to give me feedback. I do listen and take it to heart. Thank you. --Treble)


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